Windows – Command/script to copy files with certain ext, which may have the same name, from folder structure to singe directory and rename

command linewindows

From a source directory structure (multiple folders), I need to copy all csv files to a single target directory. I found a command to do this, though files of the same name exist within different folders of the source structure, causing obvious issues when copied to one folder.

How can the files with duplicate names be renamed during the copy please (ideally: report.csv, reportcopy2.csv etc)? The job currently only copies a single instance of each file. Thanks for help.

Best Answer

This is a slight work around - I know you wanted to name differently but I wondered if this will work for you.

I would suggest you rename on copy to something like Foldername.Filename.csv.

Use something like

echo f | xcopy /f /y srcfile destfile

EDIT

I have tried for a few hours, I don't think what you want is possible with the CMD prompt or bat files.

This is what I have

set sDir=C:\Documents and Settings\drook\Desktop
set dDir="C:\Documents and Settings\drook\Desktop\Folder\"

cd C:\Documents and Settings\drook\Desktop\
FOR /F %%a in ("*.txt") DO (     
    xcopy "%%a" "C:\Documents and Settings\drook\Desktop\Folder\"
    cd\ 
    cd C:\Documents and Settings\drook\Desktop\Folder\
    ren "%%a" "newName-%dir%.txt"
    cd\
    cd C:\Documents and Settings\drook\Desktop\
)

pause

It fails on the rename because it ignores the variable. So where I'm showing newName-%dir% (where dir is the variable) it would fail on newName-%%a as well...

Sorry, I don't think it is possible.

Having said that, this makes it look like it is possible: windows-batch-file-to-copy-and-keep-duplicates

Emulating a Recursive File and Folder Structure with `MKLink`

Note: This works with an already existing root level target folder.

You can use a for /d loop and iterate the first level root sub-folders within the source directory, and then use the mklink command with the /D parameter to create directory symbolic links to link those sub-folders in the target path's root directory creating an emulated directory structure beneath each as you desire with files beneath each being referenced recursively too—the root level target folder can already exist with this method.

You can then use a for loop iterating the first level files within the source directory and then use the mklink command accordingly to create those as direct symbolic links within the root of the target directory, and the root level target folder can already exist with this method too.

Batch Script

@ECHO ON

SET SrcRoot=Z:\a
SET TargetRoot=Z:\b

FOR /D %%A IN ("%SrcRoot%\*") DO (
    MKLINK /D "%TargetRoot%\%%~NA" "%%~A"
    )

FOR %%A IN ("%SrcRoot%\*") DO (
    MKLINK "%TargetRoot%\%%~NXA" "%%~A"
    )

PAUSE
EXIT

Results

Further Resources

FOR /D
FOR
Batch Substitutions (FOR /?)
In addition, substitution of FOR variable references has been enhanced. You can now use the following optional syntax:
```
%~nI        - expands %I to a file name only
%~xI        - expands %I to a file extension only
```
MKLink

mklink /?

Creates a symbolic link.

MKLINK [[/D] | [/H] | [/J]] Link Target

        /D      Creates a directory symbolic link.  Default is a file
                symbolic link.
        /H      Creates a hard link instead of a symbolic link.
        /J      Creates a Directory Junction.
        Link    Specifies the new symbolic link name.
        Target  Specifies the path (relative or absolute) that the new link
                refers to.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Windows – How to copy all files with a certain extension into a single directory (without the directory structure)

How to parse a directory recursively and MKLINK each file into a target path with the same tree structure

Emulating a Recursive File and Folder Structure with MKLink

Batch Script

Results

Further Resources

Related Question

Emulating a Recursive File and Folder Structure with `MKLink`